Claytonia saxosa
Brandegee's spring beauty
(c) Justin Paulin, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Justin Paulin · licence
Family: Montiaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Claytonia saxosa (Brandegee's spring beauty) is a native California herb in the Montiaceae family, recognized by tiny stature and sessile inflorescence diagnostic.
Brandegee's spring beauty is a California native annual found in the Klamath Ranges, northern coastal redwood, and northern coastal ranges in open, rocky serpentine sites at elevations of 800 to 2,150 meters. Flowering from March to May, this delicate plant produces pale pink flowers 5 to 8 millimeters long in small clusters of 2 to 10 blooms. Growing with tiny spreading to erect stems 1 to 3 centimeters tall, it forms dense basal clusters of leaves. Its leaves are primarily basal, crowded and oblong to obovate, less than 2 centimeters long with obtuse tips, accompanied by small cauline leaves less than 1.5 centimeters in length. The fruit is 2 to 3.5 millimeters long, containing a small elliptic seed.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 19 sympatric species; tiny stature and sessile inflorescence diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Open, rocky sites, generally serpentine
Elevation: 800-2150 m
California counties: Tehama, Colusa, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta
Outside California: southern Oregon
Bloom period
Claytonia saxosa blooms Mar-May.
How to tell it apart
vs Montia: Claytonia has just 2 stem leaves opposite or fused; Montia has multiple stem leaves arranged alternately.; vs Stellaria: Claytonia has 2 broad stem leaves and 5 petals; Stellaria has many narrow opposite leaves and deeply notched petals.; vs Hydrocotyle: Claytonia has 5-petaled flowers above paired stem leaves; Hydrocotyle has round shield-like leaves and tiny flower clusters.; vs Lewisia: Claytonia has thin leaves on upright stems in moist areas; Lewisia forms succulent rosettes on rocky cliffs.; vs Dichondra: Claytonia has upright stems with 5-petaled flowers; Dichondra is a creeping plant with kidney-shaped leaves.
Frequently asked questions
Is Claytonia saxosa native to California?
Yes. Claytonia saxosa is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Claytonia saxosa bloom?
Claytonia saxosa blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Claytonia saxosa grow?
Claytonia saxosa occurs in Tehama, Colusa, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Trinity, Shasta, at elevations of 800-2150 m.
What plant family does Claytonia saxosa belong to?
Claytonia saxosa is in the Montiaceae family, genus Claytonia.
What habitat does Claytonia saxosa grow in?
Claytonia saxosa grows in Open, rocky sites, generally serpentine.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.